Top Ten 2015 Books

I don't always do these top ten things but this year has been fantastic for incredibly amazing books and I couldn't not talk about them! So these aren't in favourite order, they are roughly in the order I read them.

1. Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas - I read the whole series (so far) in the last year and I can't believe I waited this long to read them, because they were insanely awesome!
2. The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury - Her debut was incredible, just full of twists and tension and an amazing fantasy world. Book two due out early 2016. 
3. I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson - I was blown away by Nelson's book; this is her second but the first one I've read and it was so sweet and funny and clever.
4. Cinder and the rest of the series by Marissa Meyer - Another one where I've read the entire series throughout the year, and what a series! Wasn't Winter just an epic conclusion?
5. The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson - What can I say about this book without just rambling? It was just all kinds of awesome with a poignant portrayal of transgender life. 
6. Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne - Yet another one with excellent portrayal of something now often in YA, this time OCD and mental health issues. 
7. Counting Stars by Keris Stainton - I've always liked Keris's novels but something about this one was just fantastic. It was more new adult than young adult and I thought her portrayal of struggling into adulthood was spot on.
8. Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman - Ahhhh! Amazing! That is all.
9. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell - I couldn't not have included this, it's a Harry Potter-style book based on a fanfiction of another Harry Potter-style book!
10. Inferno by Catherine Doyle - Sequel to Vendetta and due out early January, this was just breath-taking and all sorts of other adjectives. Just read my review from last week!

I don't care if it's cheating, I'm counting those series as one book! Ok, it's almost certainly cheating but to me they count as one. I've read just over 150 books this year, which is my best yet, and I am really happy that so many of them were so good and so enjoyable to read. 

Let me know what your top reads were from the last year, and if you shared any of mine. I'm taking this week between Christmas and New Year off from blogging, just spending time with the family and the fiancé, so I will see you in 2016!

Inferno by Catherine Doyle

Sophie's life has been turned upside-down, and she's determined to set things right. But Nic, the Falcone brother who represents everything she's trying to forget, won't give up on their love - and it's Luca's knife she clutches for comfort. Soon another mafia clan spoils the fragile peace - and with her heart drawn in one direction and her blood in another, Sophie's in deeper than ever.

A few really good reasons why you should read this book, after Vendetta of course: 
1. Incredible drama - it's the Mafia, it is all about the drama! And my God, from teasing moments between Sophie and Luca, to Sophie's life once again in danger from the Family, Doyle knew how to deal out drama in spades! Not only is Sophie is deep trouble with the Falcones, there's another family edging in, one they have a long standing hatred for, and one that idiot Uncle Jack has gone to for support. All of this is just begging for a war.

2. The romance - because memories of Vendetta were foggy, I wasn't holding out hope for Sophie and Nic to get back together. There had been too many lies for Sophie to trust him again. Luca, however, I now have the hots for! I'm not sure what it was, his self-deprecating sarcasm, his protectiveness of his brothers, or how surprisingly sweet he was with Sophie, but I totally fell head over heels. Part of it felt a lot more real, probably because Sophie was already aware of their family traditions. That didn't make hearing some more awful truths any less horrible but Sophie and Luca's relationship didn't feel as secretive. It was, of course, just as scary and dangerous. 

3. The writing - Doyle has this knack for drawing me in, just to break my heart. Or, just as likely, make me cry, or shout with joy. With all this drama going on, Sophie's heart is at war with her head but it never felt too heavy; the big stuff was balanced with the light, the comic relief, and trust me we needed it! I literally flew through the second half, it was practically breath-taking in its tension and shattering revelations. A great book, a fantastic sequel and I cannot wait for the finale!

Published 7th January 2016 by Chicken House. Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unsticky by Sarra Manning

STATE OF GRACE
Money makes the world go round - that's what twenty-something Grace Reeves is learning. Stuck in a grind where everyone's ahead apart from her, she's partied out, disillusioned, and massively in debt. If she's dumped by another rock-band wannabe, squashed by anyone else at her cut-throat fashion job, or chased by any more bailiffs, Grace suspects she'll fall apart...

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE
So when older, sexy and above all, wealthy art-dealer Vaughn appears, she's intrigued against her will. Could she handle being a sugar daddy's arm-candy?

SAVING GRACE
Soon Grace is thrown into a world of money and privilege, at Vaughn's beck and call in return for thousands of pounds in luxurious gifts, priceless clothes - and cash. She's out of her depth. Where's the line between acting the trophy girlfriend, and selling yourself for money? And, more importantly, whatever happened to love?

With every book of Sarra Manning's I read, I know more confidently that she can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. This is her first adult book from a few years ago but it was still full of her humour, her great prose and incredible characters.

Grace was adorable and damn realistic with her money problems, complaining about her job and her annoying boss. She did have a great job but it didn't pay well and with her shopping problem, she had some serious debt piling up. So when Vaughn comes along with his suits, his money and his contract, Grace is beyond tempted to accept. What I loved about this arrangement was that Vaughn was portrayed as he expects to be seen: powerful and unmoving. And this makes Grace even more confused and out of her element. Vaughn was, in a word, complicated. Older, used to getting his way, quite annoying but also suave, sexy, weirdly caring in a roundabout way.

The world that they worked in was all about art and fashion, and Vaughn was in his element where he can flaunt the power and importance of his money brings him. But in between the swish parties and hosting art functions, Grace and Vaughn grow surprisingly close. They relationship might have started as unorthodox but I think both of them needed those straight rules because neither was used to opening themselves up to another person, leaving themselves vulnerable. All in all, it was very funny, surprisingly sweet, awkward and rather hot.

Published 2nd August 2012 by Transworld Digital.

Splintered trilogy by AG Howard

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family.

She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

So, modern Alice in Wonderland, a distant relative of the original Alice, forced to live out the curse of hearing plants talk and have everyone think you're crazy. Firstly, I loved the concept, I thought it was done really well, with the madness and magic of Wonderland seeping into the modern world. Second, the characters: Alyssa was one bad ass heroine and she had some wicked support from long-time crush Jeb, Wonderland native Morpheus, her parents, and her best friend. And third, the whole series was full of fantastical, beautiful descriptions of the madness. 

Alyssa was really cool, proper punk girl, not to mention a great heroine. She thought for herself, made mistakes, had wicked adventures but also needed saving sometimes. Apart from saving Wonderland from the evil Queen Red, Allie also had two gorgeous guys to choose between. Personally, I totally fell head over heels for Morpheus; I would have picked him in a heartbeat but I could understand why Allie wanted Jeb and her human life. The way both guys portrayed each side of Allie was done really well, it made it feel less like a love triangle for the sake of it. Jeb was a great hero and so protective of Allie but didn't want her to have that life; Morpheus  on the other hand might have nearly always had some hidden motive but he really did want what was best for Wonderland, and in turn Allie. He encouraged her madness and magic while Jeb was scared of it overpowering her. 

The second book really felt like a filler book, even though we learned a lot more about Wonderland and Allie's mum. The series really should be taken as a whole though, as Allie's adventures got crazier, she progressed with her powers and we got to know the mad characters. I especially loved how the story was a blend of Lewis Carroll's original work and how it had morphed through a little girl's eyes, the truly disturbing being tinted by innocence. But Alyssa isn't innocent anymore and now she's got to really understand her role in saving Wonderland. All in all, it was a great trilogy, with real development in Allie and her heroes and family, coming to terms with the truth and their history with Wonderland. 

The Girl in the Mask by Marie-Louise Jensen

Set in Georgian England, fifteen-year-old Sophia is trapped by the limitations of living in a man's world. Forced by her father to give up everything she loves, Sophia is ordered to make a new life in Bath. By day, she is trapped in the social whirl of balls and masquerades. By night, she secretly swaps her ball gowns for breeches, and turns to highway robbery to get her revenge ...When one man begins to take a keen interest in her, Sophia must keep her distance, or risk unmasking her secret life.

A few things right off: I love historical fiction and Georgian Bath is the greatest setting if there ever was one. Set in the early 18th century, it's a time period I don't have much knowledge off, so quite a few references went over my head (I looked them up), but it was nice to learn something new.

Sophia was adorable. Trapped by societal pressure and her father, she just wants to read poetry, not learn how to dance or look for a husband. She might have caught the eye of a particular gentleman but she was not interested in marriage, she wanted to know why he was acting so strangely. 

Sophia being a highwayman wasn't that much of a plot point, not as much as I expected anyway but watching her navigate Bath's social scene and get swept up in the Jacobian riots was very fun. It was all about coded messages, riots, planning subterfuge and escaping gun powder. Her father and Aunt Amelia were just awful but Sophia proved herself, proved her worth as more than something to be passed off for marriage and I was so proud of her. 

Published 12th February 2012 by Oxford University Press. 

Weekly Highlights: the 'Mixed Emotions' edition

Weekly Highlights is a feature borrowed from Faye of A Daydreamer's Thoughts, where I get to highlight my posts of the week, show you my new books and talk about bookish things!

Oh hey, it's been a while! I'm sorry for the sudden radio silence, it's been a hectic few weeks. I haven't felt so good, trust me you don't want the details so let's just say "girly stuff", and then last Monday I found out some really bad news about one of my best friends from school. Suffice to say, after finding out another friend had been taken from us too soon, I wasn't up to much reading or reviewing. And then I needed some cheering up so I spent a few days with Sophie, of So Many Books So Little Time. I hadn't seen my bestie since the summer so it was great to spend some time with her and have a fun day out in London where we spent probably too long with Waterstones Piccadilly and Foyles. 

On The Blog

Oops! With any luck, I'll be back this week.

Currently Reading

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce - after the Splintered trilogy, I'm on a bit of a fairy tale kick so I'm enjoying this. I'm also listening to my first audiobook, Rose Under Fire - it's interesting listening instead of reading.

On My Bookshelf

The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil

Alba loves her life just as it is. She loves living behind the bakery, and waking up in a cloud of sugar and cinnamon. She loves drawing comics and watching bad TV with her friends.

The only problem is she’s overlooked a few teeny details:

Like, the guy she thought long gone has unexpectedly reappeared.
And the boy who has been her best friend since forever has suddenly gone off the rails. 
And even her latest comic-book creation is misbehaving.

Also, the world might be ending – which is proving to be awkward.

As Doomsday enthusiasts flock to idyllic Eden Valley, Alba’s life is thrown into chaos. Whatever happens next, it’s the end of the world as she knows it. But when it comes to figuring out her heart, Armageddon might turn out to be the least of her problems.

South of Sunshine by Dana Elmendorf

What is Kaycee willing to risk for the sake of love?
And what will she risk for acceptance?

In Sunshine, Tennessee, the main event in town is Friday night football, the biggest party of the year is held in a field filled with pickup trucks, and church attendance is mandatory. For Kaycee Jean McCoy, life in Sunshine means dating guys she has no interest in, saying only “yes, ma’am” when the local bigots gossip at her mom’s cosmetics salon, and avoiding certain girls at all costs. Girls like Bren Dawson.

Unlike Kaycee, Bren doesn’t really conceal who she is. But as the cool, worldly new girl, nobody at school seems to give her any trouble. Maybe there’s no harm if Kaycee gets closer to her too, as long as she can keep that part of her life a secret, especially from her family and her best friend. But the more serious things get with Bren, the harder it is to hide from everyone else. Kaycee knows Sunshine has a darker side for people like her, and she’s risking everything for the chance to truly be herself. 

These two are e-proofs, quite different but both I am really excited about. Thank you Netgalley!

And then we have my haul from London:

Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

9 Rules to Break When Romancing A Rake, 10 Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord, 11 Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart by Sarah Mae Lean

All The Rage by Courtney Summers

Longbow Girl by Linda Davies

The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke

How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

So, quite a few! The top two I bought myself in Waterstones and the rest are hand-me-downs from Sophie. Links go to Goodreads.

Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

Seventeen-year-old Mercedes Ayres has an open-door policy when it comes to her bedroom, but only if the guy fulfills a specific criteria: he has to be a virgin. Mercedes lets the boys get their awkward, fumbling first times over with, and all she asks in return is that they give their girlfriends the perfect first time- the kind Mercedes never had herself.

Keeping what goes on in her bedroom a secret has been easy- so far. Her absentee mother isn’t home nearly enough to know about Mercedes’ extracurricular activities, and her uber-religious best friend, Angela, won’t even say the word “sex” until she gets married. But Mercedes doesn’t bank on Angela’s boyfriend finding out about her services and wanting a turn- or on Zach, who likes her for who she is instead of what she can do in bed.

When Mercedes’ perfect system falls apart, she has to find a way to salvage her reputation and figure out where her heart really belongs in the process. Funny, smart, and true-to-life, FIRSTS is a one-of-a-kind young adult novel about growing up. 

I was attracted to this because of the openness of the sexual element. Mercy teaches virgins how to have sex properly so they don't disappoint their girlfriends, to avoid anyone else having such a crappy first time like hers. Yet I instantly had issues with how Mercy conducted herself - while she had somewhat noble intentions, the boys she were teaching were cheating on their girlfriends, she might not have actively sought them out but that's still cheating in my book!

The main point of this book was that Mercy had a very open and modern approach to sex - it was refreshing to have that bluntness criticising society's double standards. Because of course when the truth comes out, all people can see is a slut who slept with too many guys, not a girl who was trying to help guys learn.

I didn't really like Mercy. Not sure what it was - it definitely wasn't her attitude to sex, that was awesome, but she was so closed off and private. Yet I totally felt for her; she had an abysmal first relationship and doesn't want any other girl to go through the same thing. She also has an absentee mother who cares more about her appearance than her feelings and a dad who disappeared years ago - I mean really, it's not much wonder she has a wall around her heart!

To start with, she definitely had an unhealthy approach to sex but Mercy's issues are addressed; she comes to an understanding with her parents, forced to come to terms with her past and be honest with herself concerning her sexual partners. As Mercy learns to use sex as part of a healthy relationship, instead of its only part, the author uses the entire story trying to prove the point that it's ok for girls and guys to be honest about sex, and I liked and appreciated that. 

Published 5th January 2016 by St Martin's Griffin. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Weekly Highlights: the 'December TBR' edition

Weekly Highlights is a feature borrowed from Faye of A Daydreamer's Thoughts, where I get to highlight my posts of the week, show you my new books and talk about bookish things!

So it's been a while, unintentionally! But guess what? It's getting colder, I've nearly finished shopping and I've seen the Coca Cola advert - that means it's Christmas!

On The Blog

Review of Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (5 stars)

Review of Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider (4 stars)

Review of Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (4 stars)

Review of Winter by Marissa Meyer (5 stars)

Review of Othergirl by Nicole Burstein (3 stars)

Currently Reading

Splintered - a library book that I've been eyeing up for ages, because Alice in Wonderland! 

On My Bookshelf

Inferno by Catherine Doyle
Sophie's life has been turned upside-down, and she's determined to set things right. But Nic, the Falcone brother who represents everything she's trying to forget, won't give up on their love - and it's Luca's knife she clutches for comfort. Soon another mafia clan spoils the fragile peace - and with her heart drawn in one direction and her blood in another, Sophie's in deeper than ever.

Ah, I am so excited for this! I can't remember details of Vendetta but I know I loved it and can't wait to find out what happens next. Thank you Chicken House!

The Island by Olivia Levez
Frances is alone on a small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. She has to find water and food. She has to survive. And when she is there she also thinks about the past. The things that she did before. The things that made her a monster. Nothing is easy. Survival is hard and so is being honest about the past. Frances is a survivor however, and with the help of the only other crash survivor, she sees that the future is worth fighting for.

The Island is a gripping and thoughtful story about a girl who didn’t ask to be the person she is but is also determined to make herself the person she wants to be. 

I'm not sure what to make of this but am intrigued. Thank you Rock The Boat!

Unsticky by Sarra Manning
STATE OF GRACE
Money makes the world go round - that's what twenty-something Grace Reeves is learning. Stuck in a grind where everyone's ahead apart from her, she's partied out, disillusioned, and massively in debt. If she's dumped by another rock-band wannabe, squashed by anyone else at her cut-throat fashion job, or chased by any more bailiffs, Grace suspects she'll fall apart...

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE
So when older, sexy and above all, wealthy art-dealer Vaughn appears, she's intrigued against her will. Could she handle being a sugar daddy's arm-candy?

SAVING GRACE
Soon Grace is thrown into a world of money and privilege, at Vaughn's beck and call in return for thousands of pounds in luxurious gifts, priceless clothes - and cash. She's out of her depth. Where's the line between acting the trophy girlfriend, and selling yourself for money? And, more importantly, whatever happened to love? 

The Girl In The Mask by Marie-Louise Jensen
Set in Georgian England, fifteen-year-old Sophia is trapped by the limitations of living in a man's world. Forced by her father to give up everything she loves, Sophia is ordered to make a new life in Bath. By day, she is trapped in the social whirl of balls and masquerades. By night, she secretly swaps her ball gowns for breeches, and turns to highway robbery to get her revenge ...When one man begins to take a keen interest in her, Sophia must keep her distance, or risk unmasking her secret life. 

Night Owls by Jenn Bennett
Meeting Jack on the Owl - San Francisco's night bus - turns Beatrix's world upside down. Jack is charming, wildly attractive . . . and possibly one of San Francisco's most notorious graffiti artists. 

On midnight rides and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who this enigmatic boy really is. But Jack is hiding much more - and can she uncover the truth that leaves him so wounded?

A unique and profoundly moving novel, Night Owls will linger in your memory long after the final page.

As for these three, they were all 99p on kindle and I couldn't resist!

December TBR

Apart from the above books, most of which I probably will read this month, I would love to completely finish my current physical-book TBR before Christmas - where, let's face it, even if I don't get books, I'm going to buy them!

Othergirl by Nicole Burstein

Louise and Erica have been best friends since forever. They're closer than sisters and depend on each other for almost everything. Just one problem: Erica has superpowers.

When Erica isn't doing loop-the-loops in the sky or burning things with her heat pulse powers, she needs Louise to hold her non-super life together. After all, the girls still have homework, parents and boys to figure out. But being a superhero's BFF is not easy, especially as trouble has a way of seeking them out. Soon Louise discovers that Erica might be able to survive explosions and fly faster than a speeding bullet, but she can't win every fight by herself.

Life isn't a comic book - it's even crazier than that.

Louise doesn't just have the normal school, homework, boys and friends stuff to worry about, she also has best friend who might set fire to something while trying to save it! As Erica's back-up, Louise has made her costume, helped her find out more about her powers, train with her and down everything she can to get the attention of the Vigil's, the official superhero team. 

I'm in a superhero binge, so I did really like this. Plus it was a girl superhero! However, not only did it feel a bit young and simplified, there was also no in-depth explanation for the superhero's and where their powers came from. That back story I would have loved; we did get Erica's progression, which showed how far she'd come and her strength, but beyond the fact that she suddenly had powers, it wasn't explained. 

I love a good and healthy girl friendship and these two might have had their ups and downs but in the end, they were there for each other. Having said that, it did feel quite one sided at times; Louise was the one stuck at home, doing both of their homework, keeping Erica's secret, while Erica apparently just needed Louise around as a confidence booster. I don't know, it was from Louise's perspective so maybe Erica really did need her support but I got annoyed with her, I don't know how Louise didn't! 

Maybe a little young for me, but definitely enjoyable and refreshing to see a female, not to mention still learning, superhero and the emphasis on female friendship.

Published 2nd April 2015 by Anderson Press.

Winter by Marissa Meyer

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

Ahhh, it's finally here! The fourth and final book of this incredibly epic series, re-telling classic fairy tales and Winter, a.k.a Snow White, is the latest. We've seen some of her before, and there's a lot of background in Fairest, but hearing from her first hand made things clearer about her... condition. Beautiful and kind, Winter refuses to use her gift and the biochemistry has addled her brain. She has Jacin to look after her, her oldest friend and royal guard, to help her distinguish the illusions from reality. 

Winter and Jacin was so damn adorable! I'm no longer sure who my favourite couple is - actually, Cress and Thorne totally made me swoon, I think Thorne is my favourite. Oh but Kai and Cinder! Dammit, my poor heart cannot choose!

Even though it's over 800 pages, this never felt sluggish to read. Flicking between so many characters, it was bound to take a while, and of course they just couldn't stay together, they had to get separated! The plan is to overthrow Levana, but they had to get onto Luna first, and then get around the city without being found and killed. And then get the people on their side and their trust in Cinder, a.k.a Princess Selene. So, you know, not too much work to do! It was complicated and heart-stopping and all sorts of other tough-sounding adjectives that doesn't quite show how utterly horrible it was to think of the outcome if they failed. 

I adored this so much I can hardly stand it! The perfect balance of action and romance, Cinder and her crew overcome a whole lot of terrible things to get to where they end up. Everything has worked up to this moment and I loved how everything came together, even things that didn't go according to plan worked out all right in the end. And after everything they've all been through, I'd say they deserve their happily ever after! Definitely a favourite series that I can see myself re-reading again and again.

Published 12th November 2015 by Puffin.

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road -- diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself. 

Amy has it tough at the moment; her brother in rehab, dad died in a car accident that she caused, and her mum moved on to a new life before Amy's school has finished. But after being on her own for a month, she needs to get the car from their old house to the new one, only she hasn't driven since the accident. So enter Roger, who will act as her driver.

What I loved about this was the literal and metaphorical journey that Amy and Roger go on. It was a proper road trip, with little detours and sight-seeing, making random friends and going to college parties. As for metaphorical journey's, they start the journey as strangers - its amazing how a stranger can be the best person to talk problems with. Amy's problems were obvious, she's still grieving her dad and her broken home. Roger had some relationship trouble, his girlfriend dumped him and then refused to talk to him; he just wants an explanation, some closure, and so is trying to track her down. Things came trickling out as they got to know each other, trust each other, and especially in Amy's case, find the courage to speak things out loud that she hasn't before.

The random trouble they get into was very fun, from pretending to be newly weds to get the last hotel room, to eating a picnic on a golf course. The people they met also helped in bringing Amy out of her shell and push her and Roger closer together. It was a story of finding yourself while travelling, seeing the sights and driving for hours on end, just talking about anything and everything. I loved the character progression, the scenarios that explored trust and getting to know new people, and of course the back roads of America. 

Published 4th May 2010 by Simon and Schuster. 

Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider

When he's sent to Latham House, a boarding school for sick teens, Lane thinks his life may as well be over.
But when he meets Sadie and her friends - a group of eccentric troublemakers - he realises that maybe getting sick is just the beginning. That illness doesn't have to define you, and that falling in love is its own cure.

Extraordinary Means is a darkly funny story about true friendships, ill-fated love and the rare miracle of second chances.

Told over alternate chapters between Lane and Sadie, we hear of Lane's new life at Latham, a boarding school for teens with drug-resistant TB. Apart from the medical sensors, it had a very old-fashioned boarding school vibe, complete with sneaking out into the nearby woods and a strict curfew. 

I liked both main characters but especially Sadie. She's made a new life for herself at Latham and wouldn't know what to do with herself if she went home. I could really feel for her; the TB had been part of her life for so long, it was strange to think of getting better. Plus she was adorably awkward and witty with a turn of phrase.

While the characters weren't developed enough for my liking (they were all nice enough but could have been so much more), I especially liked the medical twist on the social structure of a high school. All the coughing, the fear, the death, meant that there was no homework, no PE, nothing to add to the stress of getting better. For Lane, a high achiever with hopes set on Stanford, the notion of taking it easy for completely foreign to him and it took him a while to put his health first - which, by the way, seems beyond stupid to me!

Along the same lines as a classic teen contemporary, this is a welcome addition to the genre with interesting characters and a fresh take on so-called "sick-lit". 

Published 4th June 2015 by Simon and Schuster. 

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Simon Snow just wants to relax and savour his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he'll be safe. Simon can't even enjoy the fact that his room-mate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can't stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you're the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savour anything.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you'd expect from a Rainbow Rowell story - but far, far more monsters.

Practically everyone I know has already read this and loved it, so this review with probably repeat points and with definitely gush at the awesomeness!

Simon Snow is not your typical hero; stubborn, kind of daft, not very good with his magic, and stupidly obsessed with his room mate. Speaking of which, I am completely in love with Baz. Snappy, dark, a vampire with a good heart, the way he interacts with Simon, winding him up just because and then being so careful when Simon kisses him, Baz is just perfect. I loved how the hero was a bit of a douche and the supposed bad guy was actually really sweet. And of course the real bad guy was a surprise! 

This was a brilliant ode to the Harry Potter fandom, with random little references and clever parallels with Harry and Draco rivalry and Harry's relationship with Dumbledore, but it was completely its own magical story, from the modern appliances in the magical world to the power of words for spells. 

One of my new favourites and I know it will be re-read many times!

Published 8th October 2015 by Macmillan Children's Books.

Weekly Highlights: the 'Winter Is Coming' edition

Weekly Highlights is a feature borrowed from Faye of A Daydreamer's Thoughts, where I get to highlight my posts of the week, show you my new books and talk about bookish things!

It's been quite a slow week for me. I've had the days to myself while the fiancée was at work and the parents away so I've been reading and watching too much TV and I've even started Christmas shopping! By the way, I kind of hate myself for that reference in the title. 

On The Blog

Review of The Hollow Boy by Jonathan Stroud (5 stars)

Review of Did I Mention I Need You? by Estelle Maskame (4 stars)

Review of Severed Heads, Broken Hearts by Robyn Schneider (4 stars)

Currently Reading

Winter! It's ridiculously huge, just over 800 pages, and I'm loving it. It's taking me ages to read it though, and I don't want it to end but I really want to know what happens!

On My Bookshelf

Winter by Marissa Meyer

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

After The last Dance by Sarra Manning
Two women. Two love affairs. One unforgettable story.

Kings Cross station, 1943. Rose arrives in London hoping to swap the drudgery of wartime for romance, glamour and jiving with GIs at Rainbow Corner, the famous dance hall in Piccadilly Circus. As the bombs fall, Rose loses her heart to a pilot but will lose so much more before the war has done its worst.

Las Vegas, present day. A beautiful woman in a wedding dress walks into a seedy bar and asks the first man she sees to marry her. When Leo slips the ring onto Jane's finger, he has no idea that his new wife will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

So when Jane meets Rose, now a formidable older lady, there's no love lost between them. But with time running out, can Rose and Jane come together to make peace with the tragic secrets that have always haunted their lives?

After the Last Dance is an extraordinary story of two women, separated by time but connected by fate, that will make you believe in the redemptive power of unexpected love. 

I have loved everything from Sarra Manning and this romantic historical fiction doesn't sound like it will break that tradition. Thank you Netgalley!

Severed Heads, Broken Hearts by Robyn Schneider

Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them - a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His own tragedy waited until he had everything to lose - in one night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra's knee, his athletic career, and his perfect life.
No longer part of the popular crowd, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters Cassidy Thorpe. Intelligent, effortless and wonderfully weird, she is unlike anyone Ezra's ever met before. Together they discover flash mobs, buried treasure, secret movie screenings and a poodle with a questionable history.
But as Ezra dives into new friendships and new love, he is forced to ask: if you've managed to survive disaster, what happens when it strikes again?

Ezra thought he knew who he was - tennis star, most popular guy, great girlfriend on his arm - until a car accident screws the ligaments in his knee and he can't play again. His friends don't visit him at hospital and he is lost without purpose. But he finds new friends and a new reason to have fun in his life.

Alongside Ezra we had a mad collection of supporting characters. Toby was hilarious, an old friend from Ezra's childhood but fate, or maybe Ezra's ambition, let them drift apart. The rest of the guys, the debate team, were all funny and smart and bought out the best in each other. As for the love interest, Cassidy was an interesting character. Obviously she works very hard to appear as carefree and without worry but she doesn't reveal anything about herself.

Ezra basically rediscovers himself; though it might have been a horrible accident that made him this way, it actually allows him to shed all preconceptions about himself and start anew. It was all about being yourself and not letting the public perception of you get in the way of happiness. It was so very funny and very well written; the debate group always spoke like they were trying to win a game by out-witting each other using one liners. But the tragedy isn't out of Ezra's life and things get a little complicated when Cassidy finally reveals something about her past and why she moved here. All in all, a great story, amazing characters and an unforgettable message of being happy with yourself.

Published 15th August 2013 by Simon and Schuster.